Novamill hangs

[oyoung]

Hello again! Still have the problem, I'm afraid. I've replaced the USB cable and the PC, new install of all software including easyinstaller and checked the firmware of the novamill. Still hanging.

For what it's worth, there seems to be two types of 'hang', both result in cutter movement, but no x, y or z movement.

Type 'A' hang keeps the control box; the remedy for this is to click on the 'jog' tab, click on the 'auto' tab, restart the *.fnc file at the line where it hung previously.

A type 'B' hang loses the control box, whereapon we have to reconnect to the machine and home the axes before restarting the file at the hang line. In this instance on reconnection to the machine there is sometimes a fail message on the USB connection.

I have suspicions about the USB socket on the Big Black Box, it's a bit wobbly, though could both types of hang occur with problems with the Great Big Plug? (between the Novamill and the Big Black Box) We have had problems with that before. Thoughts?

[Denford Admin]

If you can find a spare hole or vent in the big black box, I'd definately try using a single USB cable from the PC direct to the Baldor card.
Somehow rule out the USB bulkhead connector...

[Martin]

It may be worth checking the E-Stop monitor wires. At one stage the wires were run as a two core screened cable from the control to the E-Stop Relay. At the relay end the scrren was cut off & then the wires run to either side of the relay.
We replaced the wires with seperate screened cables (twin with one core cut out) & ran both cables down the left hand side of the control card & in to the trunking.

[oyoung]

I'll try your suggestion Admin;

Martin - thanks. Is there a diagram that will show the parts you describe?

Also, just now I've been having a little box pop up with 'device driver call failed', before a 'type B' hang.

[Denford Admin]

Device driver call failed is normally related to noise and USB data corruption.

[oyoung]

I have taken the cable straight in the box and into the baldor card. The internal cable passed right next to the mains cable inside - though why it has suddenly started causing a problem I don't know.

Hopefully, that'll be it then...